Should GTV6 Engine Numbers Match the VIN?

[Ted Spradley <tsprad@domain.elided>]

John Hertzman says,

> Yesterday Bob Brady asked: "I looked at an '86 GTV6 last weekend.  The
> owner claimed the engine was original, but the number stamped on it
> did not match the VIN.  Should it have?"

> In adverts for upscale Alfas I see "matching numbers" almost as often
> as"body-off restoration", which is a neat trick with integral
> construction. Can't say for sure about '86 GTV 6s, but the build-sheet
> ("Ordine di Consegna") for our 164 lists 'Telaio' (chassis) 6193546
> and 'N.Motore' 0017683,...

Uh, I always took "numbers match" to mean "numbers match the build
sheet".  The VIN would probably have the paint color and some optional
equipment encoded in it, but not serial numbers, just codes to indicate
_type_ of engine. 
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided